Automotive and transportation Magna Steyr

Two bodyshell types built on the same line

Product Automobile supplier uses digital Tecnomatix factory methods, integrates line and process planning, and Business challenges masters ambitious customer Shorten production line tasks planning time Global presence, complete Support a body-in-white, vehicle proficiency mixed production line; reduce The Austrian-Canadian enterprise Magna hardware cost by re-using International Inc. is one of the most tools efficient, -independent engineering Improve manufacturing and manufacturing partners for automo- process efficiency tive original equipment manufacturers Diminish down-time of a run- (OEMs). With about 70,000 employees in ning production line, while more than 242 production sites across 25 introducing a new car model countries, the supplier ranks among the sector’s champions. The company’s range of services includes development, engi- Keys to success neering and manufacturing of systems, Advanced planning methodol- assemblies and parts. Additionally, Magna ogy with Tecnomatix tools in International Inc. acts on-demand as an Part of bodyshell manufacturing at Graz site. a virtual environment OEM general contractor – a one-stop shop, from idea to complete vehicle highlight includes the entire development Integration of facility design development and assembly. Capabilities and production of the BMW X3® – one of and process planning include comprehensive production levels – the most comprehensive tasks undertaken Automated transition of data extra-low, low and high volume – as well by the automotive supplier. from product designers to as the ability to cater to special customer process planners requirements, or peak shaving. One line for two products Offline robot programming While the BMW X3 was still in production, The company’s current achievements – Magna Steyr was awarded the contract to reflected by Magna Steyr Fahrzeugtechnik build the Countryman®. Demanding Results AG & Co KG (Magna Steyr), its Austrian specifications required a stringent re-use Existing line almost subsidiary with main site in Graz – are the approach, with almost the entire bodyshell completely re-used low-volume production of the Aston manufacturing to be set up on the already Martin Rapide and the development and existing resources of the BMW X3. During Prototype costs saved manufacturing of the aluminum body for the ongoing production, the new product the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. A special needed to be planned in a way that the

www.siemens.com/tecnomatix Results (continued) series production of the Higher maturity of production could start on the same line without any line and robot programs on significant delays. This meant that all first tryout body-in-white processes of two very differ- ent vehicle types had to run almost parallel Shorter ramp-up time for a certain time. Required manufacturing capacity reached quicker Another challenging requirement was that Fewer process errors and less the prototypes should be built on this material waste single line. The aim was to save time and money by eliminating a separate prototype Increased in-house process Tecnomatix facilitates robot programming. production line and to achieve high com- knowledge patibility with the series production. “In view of these conditions, we had to review ronment, within an accuracy of +/- 5-10 our planning methods and processes,” says millimeters – significantly more precise Walter Gantner, strategy planner of than using conventional 2D methods. On Simulation/Manufacturing Planning at this basis, the four-man team (responsible Magna Steyr. “This task was only doable for bodyshell manufacturing of the BMW with virtual planning and simulation.” X3/MINI Countryman) planned the main line and the sub-line for the side frame. The result was a strategy change. Overall External service providers did the line project planning would now be executed building for the car’s front and top. almost completely using in-house resources; only portions would be “The quality of the robot managed by external partners. In using programs determines the this approach, Magna Steyr aimed to quality of the line …With increase its own expertise, and to make Tecnomatix, we were able processes more efficient. To achieve this, to master the complexity.” Magna Steyr chose Tecnomatix® software from Siemens PLM Software. The choice Andreas Huber was based on experiences the company Bodyshell Planner had already gained on smaller projects Magna Steyr using Siemens’ digital factory solution. Now, all bodyshell manufacturing pro- cesses for the MINI Countryman would be digitally planned and simulated with The bodyshell line includes approximately 180 robots. Tecnomatix. Tecnomatix played a decisive role in creat- Setup of the virtual world ing, simulating and optimizing programs Magna Steyr needed an accurate image of for robot control. The bodyshell line at the real production for the virtual planning Magna Steyr includes around 180 robots environment. In a first step, the manufac- with a level of automation of more than 98 turing line of the BMW X3 was captured percent. The planners had to consider 280 with 3D scanners. Then, all stations and welding guns, 100 grippers and corre- robots were defined by geometry and sponding tool change systems. The dynamic behavior and stored in digital interaction of up to six robots, with all libraries. Various object libraries of degrees of freedom within a confined Tecnomatix supported the setup of the space, had to be coordinated in detail. All virtual line. All elements within the hall weld spots had to be arranged throughout were mapped in the virtual planning envi- the individual manufacturing stations within the required cycle time. “The quality of the robot programs determines the quality of the line,” explains Andreas Huber, bodyshell planner and a key Tecnomatix user at Magna Steyr. “Without being able to test programs on the real line, we could only master this complexity with external programming and simula- tion.” He notes, “With Tecnomatix, we were able to master the complexity.”

Faster and more flexible robot programming After the engineering department had provided the new vehicle model, including all geometry data and weld spots, the bodyshell planners defined the welding Collision analysis with Tecnomatix. sequence in Tecnomatix and evaluated potential re-use of existing welding guns line. Using Tecnomatix, Magna Steyr’s plan- for all weld spots throughout the line. ners were able to write and prepare all The Tecnomatix solution enabled them to programs themselves, integrate the work accomplish the required tasks. Precise, of the external service providers, and simu- comprehensive reachability studies, cycle late the environment in detail. Manfred time analysis and collision simulations not Pichler, bodyshell planner at Magna Steyr, only supported quick turnaround, but also notes, “We reviewed everything twice. The improved the quality of the result. “The old line had to stay functional and, at the low demand – only five percent new same time, had to be useable for the new welding guns – astonished all persons product. Every detail mattered.” For involved,” notes Huber. “The high degree example, he says, “The extensive function- of re-use of the existing line is very ality of Tecnomatix significantly facilitated remarkable given the wide differences the definition and distribution of welding between the vehicle types.” spots.”

Also pivotal to project success was the The programs were defined in a way that subsequent offline programming of the enabled fine adjustments, including aberra- welding programs. Live programming was tion compensation and zero-point shifting, not possible, because the old product was as well as live tests. The work was com- still being built 24/7 on the production pleted over the course of several

“We want to use Tecnomatix as a standardized, universal planning tool for the entire product lifecycle.”

Walter Gantner Strategy Planner Simulation/Manufacturing Planning Magna Steyr Solutions/Services Tecnomatix www.siemens.com/ tecnomatix

Customer’s primary business Magna Steyr is a brand- independent supplier of and Bodyshell drawing of the MINI Countryman. partner with automotive OEMs. With highly flexible development and assembly week-ends. With Tecnomatix, shorter strategies, the company offers intervention times, fast implementation 3D layout of a body-in-white line. OEMs solutions for a wide and flexible, continuous program adjusting range of services – from were in direct contrast to conventional higher process quality, which resulted in individual systems like door planning, where program installation was fewer errors and less material waste. modules and roof systems to only possible at production breaks during Equally important, Magna Steyr acquired complete vehicles. Magna the summer and winter holidays. new best-practice insight with the elimina- Steyr handles various tion of the previous methodology whereby Ambitious requirements entirely met production levels (extra-low, certain tasks between facility design and low and high volume), as well The bodyshell planners’ efforts paid off. No process planning were disconnected. For as peak shaving. problems occurred during the mixed future projects, facility design and process www.magnasteyr.com phase, in which the winding down of the planning tasks will be merged, resulting in BMW X3 production line overlapped the fully integrated planning. start-up curve of the MINI Countryman. Customer location During this cycle, Magna Steyr was able to Series planning tool for the Graz run the BMW X3 production line at full complete lifecycle capacity. By using block manufacturing on By using Tecnomatix for the bodyshell the line, it was possible to switch between manufacturing of the MINI Countryman, the two vehicle types. After a two-week Magna Steyr developed the necessary “The extensive functionality holiday, Magna Steyr increased the pro- patterns for digital planning and laid the of Tecnomatix significantly duction of the MINI Countryman from zero basis for far-reaching standardization. facilitated the definition to two thirds of the ridge line within four After completing the bodyshell manufac- and distribution of welding weeks. “We want to emphasize that turing planning project, the company has spots.” despite the temporary parallel manufactur- set its sights on digital planning for assem- ing, we continued producing the X3 Manfred Pichler bly and painting. Recently, Magna Steyr without any loss in quality,” says Gantner. Bodyshell Planner started a new strategic project in close Magna Steyr cooperation with Siemens PLM Software. According to Huber, Gantner and Pichler, Tecnomatix will be expanded to become Tecnomatix passed its premiere at Magna the company’s comprehensive tool for Steyr with a brilliant performance across- series planning. The aim is to use digital the-board. The company was able to planning methods beyond the start-of- completely realize customer specifications. production phase. Gantner explains, “We Ramp-up time of the new manufacturing want to use Tecnomatix as a standardized, process was shorter, and production costs universal planning tool for the entire were reduced due to the elimination of the product lifecycle. We are working hard to prototype line and re-use of existing achieve this.” resources. Digital planning guaranteed a

Siemens PLM Software

Americas +1 314 264 8499 © 2015 Siemens Product Lifecycle Management Software Inc. Siemens and the Siemens logo are registered trademarks Europe +44 (0) 1276 413200 of Siemens AG. D-Cubed, Femap, Fibersim, Geolus, GO PLM, I-deas, JT, NX, Parasolid,Solid Edge, Syncrofit, Teamcenter Asia-Pacific +852 2230 3308 and Tecnomatix are trademarks or registered trademarks of Siemens Product Lifecycle Management Software Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and in other countries. All other logos, trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks belong to their respective holders. www.siemens.com/plm 24546-Z8 1/15 A